PWD SE Kalam turns to a money crocodile

Plundered crores of Taka

Golam Mostafa Jibon: Allegation of amassing huge illegal assets through massive corruption and irregularities has been intensified against Abul Kalam Azad, Superintending Engineer (SE) of Public Works Department (PWD) in Dhaka.
There is a complained that he amassed the money in collaboration with some other unscrupulous officials by leaking out secrete information of several tenders with the aim to provide the work orders to his brother-in-law’s construction firm named ‘Integrated Construction Services’ tactfully. As a result, most of the works were done with below standards as well as the government has lost huge amount of money due to massive corruption and irregularities.
Sources said, Abul Kalam Azad opened the construction firm-’Integrated Construction Services’ giving so-called ownership to his brother-in-law Saiful Islam Khan. Then, he forced the subordinating officers to provide the work orders to his brother-in-law’s firm-‘Integrated Construction Services’. If someone declined to provide the work, he or she would face dire consequenceseven transferring. Thus, he and his brother-in-law Saiful grabbed crores of Taka in the name of more than 50 development works of PWD.
Seeking anonymity, many officials complained that, Engineer Abul Kalam used to put pressure on various executive engineersto give work orders to his brother-in-law’s firm. Thus, at least 20 work orders of the PWD EM Department-8 have been given to Saiful through irregularities.
Such approval is totally violation as per section 119 (2) of PPR-2008, experts said.
On the other hand, Abul Kalam as the Superintending Engineer has the power to approve highest Tk 12 lakh in the revenue budget, but he has approved the work worth Tk 23.21 lakh in the name of that organization.
Kalam himself used to exercise the powers of his superior officers. As the Superintending Engineer Abul Kalam has the power to approve an estimate of Tk 12 lakh in the revenue budget, but he has illegally approved another project of the Coast Guard with a revenue budget of about Tk 1.28 crore.
Besides, three works of the Meteorological Department were given to his brother-in-law misusing his power.
Abul Kalam does not care about any rules and regulations. By violating the rules, Kalam himself and his relative Saiful have become millionaires by embezzling crores of Taka through corruption.
It is learnt that, Kalam provided six works of E/M Factory Department to his brother-in-law Saiful’s firm, which ID no-214924, 218331, 337811, 137992, 140267 and 183149. Saiful was also given work of BTRC building construction project (Tender ID-618173) through irregularities.
Earlier on September 8 in 2021, SE Abul Kalam endorsed a copy of the work with the value of the approved estimate and sent it to the Public Works E / M Circle-3 Executive Engineer. Then, he informs the value of the work to Saiful.
According to sources, Abul Kalam has a 5000 sq ft luxurious flat in Banasree of the capital, two flats of 2500 sq ft in Gulshan Niketan, three plots of fivekathaat R/A of D-block in Bashundhara, 45 acres of land in Nabinagar and recently a luxurious Bungalow in the village, where he has 27 bighas of land. In a word, he and his wife are now money crocodiles. He realizes a commission of 4 percent for approving the estimate of a project and 2 percent for approving the tender. As a result, the contractors are facing losses in many cases, while doing these works. Many contractors demanded to take legal action against the corrupt officer Abul Kalam and dismiss him from the charge.
When this correspondent tried to contact with him over cell phone several times, he did not response. Even, he did not reply of the SMS.